Delta reveals the dishes you should eat on a plane

Although in-flight meals have largely disappeared on domestic
flights, they are still alive and well on board international
flights.

And to be honest, airplane food has not always had the best
reputation.

There's a good reason for that.

Fresh ingredients are cooked, packaged, transported to the plane,
and then reconstituted mid-flight in a convection oven, Delta Air
Lines' general manager of product development, Dan Mord, told
Business Insider in an interview.

"We are essentially torture-testing food here," Mord added. "A
lot of things that work in a restaurant may simply do not work on
board a plane."

The low air pressure and dry atmosphere of an aircraft
pressurized to mimic the conditions at 8,000 feet of altitude
also numb our ability to perceive a food's taste and texture.
That explains complaints about dry and bland dishes.

But there are certain dishes and characteristics to seek out if
you want a pleasant dining experience on a flight.

"Moisture in the air is what transfers the flavor and airplane
air is dry," Mord said. "So dishes with heavier and sweeter
flavors work well at altitude."

In addition, the reheating process also threatens the moisture
content and the overall texture of the food.

Dishes such as curries, braised short ribs, lamb, and pasta are
good choices because their flavorful sauces help preserve the
taste and texture of the meal, Delta's director of on-board
services, Brian Berry, told us.

The airline recently pulled a rib eye from its menu because the
high fat content of the cut made the texture too tough when
reheated.

One course that always works is dessert.

Delta One filet mignon.Delta

According to Berry and Mord, the sweetness of the dishes
translates well to in-flight service and make them relatively
foolproof. Plus, people like to indulge when they are on board,
especially if they are in first class, Berry added.

Popular choices include apple crisps, mini pies, tiramisu, and
ice-cream sundaes. While warm desserts such as bread pudding
proved to a successful offering for winter flights.

So there you have it. A few pointers to go by the next you order
an in-flight meal.